Chapter 5（海神尼柔斯与变形怪普罗透斯的传说）

5 Nereus and Proteus 尼柔斯和普罗透斯

Of all the small sea divinities Nereus and Proteus stood out as Peculiar sea-gods． — 尼柔斯和普罗透斯这两个小海洋神明，因为独特的海洋神明而脱颖而出。 —

Nereus，known as“the Old Man of the sea”，represented the pleasant aspect of ocean waters． — 尼柔斯被称为“海洋老人”，代表着海洋水域的愉快一面。 —

He lived beneath the sea with his fifty lovely daughters，of whom the most famous were Amphritrite，Thetis，Galate a and Panope． — 他和他五十个可爱的女儿一起生活在海底，其中最著名的有安菲特丽忒、忒底斯、加拉忒亚和帕诺珀。 —

It was Nereus who advised Heracles to seek Prometheus in the hero’s search of the golden apples． 尼柔斯建议海格力斯在寻找黄金苹果的英雄之旅中寻找普罗米修斯。

Proteus was Poseidon’s herdsman. He was well known for two qualities： — 普罗透斯是波塞冬的牧羊人。他以两种品质而著名： —

the gift of prophecy and the power to take various forms． — 预言的能力和变身的力量。 —

At one time he was a lion with a curly wavy hairs； — 有时他是一只头发卷曲的狮子； —

at another he appeared in the shape of a wild boar； — 另一次他化身为一头野猪； —

and still another he stood a stately tree covered with rich leaves． — 还有一次，他变成一棵长满繁茂叶子的高大树。 —

When，after all these and many other changes，he failed to get rid of his questioner， the god offered detailed answers． 当在经历了所有这些以及许多其他变化后，他仍无法摆脱质疑者时，这位神明会提供详细的答案。